Method of pickling strip material



Dec. 23, 1941. D. A. MGARTHUR METHOD OF PICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet l ill-I' I V mm El. n

1941- 4D. A. McARTHUR 2,267,036

- METHOD OF .P ICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 SQ AVA 44 44- INVENTOR .IM'MIM Dec. 23, 1941. D, A. MCARTHUR 2,267,036

METHOD OF PICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 L! I 12 g 19- III III INVENTOR Dana/0C4. A/lcA'rf/wr m, M M

Dec. '23, 1941. D, A, McAR TH UR 2,267,036

METHOD OF PICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR I A, M

Mamba Dec. 23, 1941. D. A. McARTHUR I 2,267,036

METHOD OF PICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.8.

INVENTOR Dec. 23, 1941. D. A. MOARTHUR METHOD OF PICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 pendently of the other.

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF PICKLING STRIP MATERIAL Donald A. McArthur, Warren, Ohio, assignor to The Wean Engineering Company, Inc., Warren, Ohio, a corporation 01' Ohio Application March 9, 1940, Serial No. 323,124

6 Claims.

pickling of strip less than half the maximum width of strip for which the usual pickling apparatus is designed, is relatively ineificient because of the small tonnage produced and the fact that the fixed and operating charges are substantially the same regardless of the width of strip being handled. It is equally uneconomical, if not more so. to provide duplicate pickling equipment specially designed for the narrower widths unless it is certain that both the maximum-width pickling line and the equipment for narrower widths will be used a substantial portion of the time.

I have invented a novel apparatus and method for pickling strip whereby maximum-width strip may be pickled in single strand and narrow strip in double strand, the several lengths being disposed in side by side relation. In a preferred embodiment and practice of the invention, I employ an uncoiler of a substantially standard design, and adapted to handle coils of maximumwidth strip. A full-width shear and stitcher cooperate with the uncoiler for joining successive coils end to end. Stitcher pinch rolls of novel construction are effective to control the strip during shearing and, when a pair of strip lengths are being handled side by side, to move one inde- The uncoiled strip is accumulated in an entry looping pit and is fed thence into a succession of pickle tanks.

I provide novel means for drawing the strip through the pickle tanks, which is equally effective in advancing full-width strip in single strand or narrow strip in double strand. The pickled strip is delivered to an exit looping pit and is drawn therefrom by a recoiler capable of handling a single full-width coil or multiple narrow coils. A double-action shear is provided between the exit looping pit and the coiler whereby a single full-width strip length may be severed clear across to cut out a joint, or a selected one of a pair of lengths disposed side by side may be similarly severed without afiecting the other. Pinch rolls between the exit looping pit and cutout shear, similar to those between the stitcher and the entry looping pit, permit the proper manipulation of a single full-width strip or multiple narrow strips independently.

A preferred embodiment and practice of the invention are illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings. Certain of the apparatus units which are novel in themselves are illustrated in detail. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are purely illustrative and that the procedure and construction shown may be modified within the scope of my broader claims. In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a central, longitudinal, sectional view, largely diagrammatic, taken throughthe entering end of an apparatus for pickling strip embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the exit end of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of pinch rolls adapted to feed multiple strands disposed side by side or a single full-width strip;

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line V--V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the looping pit showing adjustable side and center walls for maintaining piled-up loops of strip in proper position, and the means for adjusting them laterally in the looping pit;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken substantially along the plane of line VIIVII of Fig. 6;

Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views taken substantially along the planes of lines VIIIVIII and IX-IX respectively of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a plan of the pinch rolls for pulling a single full-width strip or multiple narrow strips independently through the pickle tanks;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation thereof; and

Fig. 12 is a side elevation.

General description of apparatus Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, to Figs. 1 and 2, I employ a tilting coil support I0 adapted to receive coils of strip such as that shown at H and deliver them to a processing uncoiler l2. Further details of these units and others to be described which are not illustrated in detail will be explained sufficiently for an understanding of their operation. A conveyor l3 extends between the uncoiler l2 and a crop shear M. A similar conveyor l5 connects the shear and a stitcher l6. Pinch rolls l'l control the advancing strip in certain stages of the operation which will be explained fully herebelow.

An entry looping pit I8 is provided for accumulating strip after uncoiling. Strip is withdrawn from the pit l8 by pinch rolls l9 and passes through unfolding rolls 20, after which it is delivered to the first oi a series of pickle and wash tanks 2|, 22. On emerging from the last tank, the strip passes through a drier 23.

The movement of the strip through the tanks is effected by pinch rolls 24 which deliver it into an exit looping pit 25. The strip accumulating in the pit 25 is drawn therefrom by a recoiler 26, passing first between unfolding rolls 2'! and through an oiler 28. A stitch cut-out shear 29 and a conveyor 28a are disposed between the pit 25 and the recoiler, and pinch rolls 30 mounted thereadjacent are provided to manipulate the strip after the cutting out of a stitched joint. Coils formed on the recoiler are discharged onto a ramp 3| and a conveyor 32 as pickled hotrolled material ready for use as such orfurther processing as by cold-rolling, etc.

All the apparatus briefly described above is designed to accommodate strip of the maximum width to be pickled, and all the apparatus is capable of handling in single strand, a strip of such width. Certain of the apparatus, however, is of such character as to make it possible to manipulate one of a pair of strip lengths traversing the apparatus in side by side relation, independently of the other. The details of the several apparatus units will now be described briefly or in full, according to whether they are novel per se or largely of standard construction with modifications. A typical procedure which I am able to carry out rapidly and efilciently by the aid of the apparatus already outlined, will then be described.

Detailed description of the apparatus in alinement with a roller conveyor adapted to deliver coils thereto on end and the cradle 3! is in neutral or central position. When a coil has been disposed on the section 35 in the horizontal position, the conveyor section and carriage are rotated as a unit to dispose the coil in, the position shown at H, for discharge on movement of the cradle 31 to its illustrated position. Before ,tilting the cradle, the carriage 36 is adjusted horizontally to position the coil properly with respect to the centerline of the uncoiler and remaining apparatus. In handling wide strip in single strand, the coils are, of course, disposed symmetrically of the central plane through the uncoiler. If narrow strip is being handled in double strand, side by side, the carriage 36 is so disposed as to deliver the coil to one side or the other of the central plane.

The uncoiler i2 is of substantially standard construction and includes pinch rolls 3'! efiective to pull strip off of a coil 38 disposed on a mandrel 39, and between bending rolls 40. A car ll reciprocable below the uncoiler has a coil support 42 mounted therein for vertical reciprocation.

The crop shear i4 is of known construction and is efiectlve on operation to make a cut across the full width of a wide strip or two narrow strips disposed side by side.

The stitcher I8 is also of standard construction except that it has two clamping feet 63, one on each side of the centerline. The clamping feet are independently controlled in order that each strip may be clamped separately when a pair of strips are being handled. The stitcher is effective, insthe known manner, by the cooperation of punches and dies, to form interlocking tongues joining the lapped ends of successive strip lengths.

The pinch rolls I! are of novel construction and are illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 5. Housings M are mounted in spaced relation on a base 65. A top roll 46 is journaled in the housings and is driven by a motor 41 through a speed-reducer 48 and a coupling bar 49. A transom 50 01' box section extends between the housings and is provided with spaced, vertical guides 54 at each end and adjacent the center thereof. A pair of yokes 52 disposed side by side are movable vertically in the guides 5|. Each yoke has a bottom roll 53 journaled therein. A pneumatic cylinder and piston actuator 54 is pivotally connected to each yoke 52 at 55 and to a fixed cross beam 56 at 51. Operation of one of the actuators 54 forces its bottom roll against the top roll whereupon the top roll, when driven, is effective positively to feed a strip between the rolls. When the actuator is released, its bottom roll drops to the illustrated position and the strip rests on wooden skids 56 secured to the transom 50 and a billy roll 59 journaled in bearing brackets secured to the housings. With the bottom rolls retracted, strip maybe fed freely across the skids by means other than the top roll 66, e. g., the pinch rolls 31 of the uncoiler I2, as will be explained more fully later.

The looping pit i8 is provided with wooden skids 66 along its bottom and ends and has side guides 6i and 62. These guides are in the form of movable walls composed of wood sheathing secured to a suitable structural frame. The guide Si is suspended on hangers 63 having wheels adapted to travel along cross rails 64 supported above the floor level on posts 65. Screws 66 journaled in suitable hearings on the posts cooperate with nuts in the hangers 63 and are efiective on rotation by hand-wheels Bl to move the guide 6! laterally. Movement of the hangers 68 is communicated to the lower edge of the guides by a linkage including a bell crank 68 pivoted to the hangers 63 and to a length 69 pivoted to a bracket 70 secured to the adjacent post 65. A link H is pivoted to the bell crank 68 and to a bell crank 72 which is itself pivoted to the side guides 15!. The bell crank l2 has a roller I3 cooperating with a link as pivoted to a bracket Ill secured to the bearing plate It on the side wall of the pit. When the screws 66 are turned in the proper directionto adjust the guide 68 inwardly, the bell crank 58 is rotated clockwise causing similar movement of the bell crank it whereupon the engagement of the roller 13 with the bearing plate N forces the lower portion of the guide inwardly.

The guide 62 is supported and adjusted by I side guides but is suspended for free manual adjustment from the central position shown in Fig. 8 to a retracted position at one side as shown in Fig. 9. In the latter position. the guide 15 actually becomes a side guide. The actual center of the pit is displaced from the common centerline of the remaining apparatus to provide additional space at one side thereof for accommodating both the guide 82 and the guide 15 when the latter is retracted as shown in Fig. 9. The center guide is held in central position by plates I8 and 11 secured thereto and to the floor respectively and having holes therethrough adapted to receive bolts 18.

It will be understood from the description of the guides in the looping pit that they may be adjusted to accommodate two strip lengths dis posed side by side and of various widths, within the capacity of the various apparatus units, or may be adjusted to accommodate a single wide strip. In either case, the guides prevent the loops of strip piled up in the pit from falling over and becoming entangled.

Strip is drawn from the pit l8 by the pinch rolls I9 which are of known construction. These rolls are adapted to feed a single full-width strip length or a pair of narrow lengths disposed side by side. The strip as it emerges from the pit |8 passes through the unfolding and leveling rolls which remove any sharp bends before the strip enters the pickling and wash tanks 2|, 22. On emerging from the wash tank 22, the strip traverses a drier 23 of known construction.

The strip is pulled through the pickle and wash tanks and the drier by pinch rolls 24. These pinch rolls are shown in detail in Figs. 10 through 12. Housings 19 are mounted in spaced relation on a base 88. Each housing is provided with a pair of windows 8| and 82. Pinch rolls 83 are journaled in bearings adjustable in the windows 8| and pinch rolls 84 in bearings disposed in the windows 82. As shown in Fig. 12, the window 82 is deeper than the window 8| whereby the pass between the rolls 83 is above the upper roll 84 while the pass between the rolls 84 is below the lower roll 83. The rolls 84 are driven by a motor 85 through a speed-reducer 86 andcoupling bars 81. The rolls 83 are similarly driven by a separate motor 85'.

When a single wide strip is being pickled, it is passed between the rolls 83. When a pair of narrow strip lengths are being pickled, one is passed between the rolls 83 and one between the rolls 84. In either case, the strip passes over a billy roll 88 and into the pit 25.

Dancer rolls 89 (see Fig. 1) are disposed in the pickle tank 2| and cooperate with suitable control equipment to regulate the speed of the motors driving the pinch rolls 83 and 84 so as to maintain the strip properly looped in the several tanks. If a single strip is being pickled, only the dancer roll controlling th active pair of pinch rolls is maintained in operation.

The pit 25 is provided with side and center guides substantially the same as those already described for the pit |8. The principal difference is that the cross rails at the entering end of the pit are disposed at a lower level than those at the exit end in order to permit the strip to pass freely thereover. In addition, the side guides have upstanding panels 98 to confine the strip as it descends over the billy roll 88.

The pinch rolls 38 are substantially identical with the pinch rolls I! so that a pair of narrow strips can be withdrawn from the pit 25 under separate control, through the unfolding and leveling rolls 31.

The shear 29 has a sectional upper knife, the sections of which are selectively displaceable so that a full-width or a half-width out may be made, as desired. In other words, all sections of the upper knife are displaced on upward movement of the lower knife, so that no shearing cut is effected, unless manually operable wedges are inserted behind the sections of the upper knife. This type of shear is well known and requires no further description.

The oiler 29 is of conventional construction.

The recoiler 28 is of substantially conventional construction but is adapted to form a pair of coils side by side and to discharge them separately. For this purpose, two separate kick-offs 9| suitably positioned are provided. The conventional features of the recoiler include pinch rolls 32, bending rolls 93 and coil supporting rolls 94. The pinch rolls serve to drive the strip through the bending rolls and around onto the supporting rolls thereby forming a coil.

Method of operation It will doubtless be apparent with little further explanation that the apparatus described is adapted to operate substantially in the known manner for pickling in single strand, strip lengths up to the maximum width for which the various apparatus units are designed. In handling wide strip in single strand, and assuming initially that a coil such as that shown at 38 is being unwound, the bottom rolls 53 of the pinch rolls ll are retracted. and the motor driving the top roll is stopped, the pinch rolls 3! of the uncoiler |2 are efiective to deliver strip from the coil into the pit l8. When the trailing end of the coil appears, the bottom rolls 53 are raised and the top roll 46 is driven to position the end properly for a cropping cut by the shear M. The top roll 48 is then driven to advance the end to the stitcher. The succeeding coil is then placed" in the uncoiler and its leading end advanced to th shear by the pinch rolls 31. After a cropping cut, theend is further advanced to the stitcher. The clamping feet 43 are then actuated to grip the lapped endsand the stitcher itself operated to join them. The bottom rolls 53 are then retracted and strip is again delivered to the pit |8 by the pinch rolls 31.

The pinch rolls I9 operate continuously at constant speed, the pit l8 being of sufficient capacity to hold enough strip to permit continued movement while the crop shearing and stitching operations are effected. The strip is drawn through the pickle and wash tanks by one pair of th double pinch rolls 24, under the control of one of the dancer rolls 89.

The strip accumulating in the pit 25 is withdrawn by the coiler pinch rolls 92 until a joint to cut off the stitched joint, the top roll of the pinch rolls 38 is driven to feed the end of the strip length to the coiler pinch rolls 92.' As soon as a new coil is thus started, the bottom rolls of the pinch rolls 30 may be retracted and the top rolls stopped.

It will be noted that the control of the apparatus on the entering side of the pit i8 is independent of the remainder of the apparatus. The same is true of the apparatus between the looping pits and of that on the exit side of the pit 25.

To describe the operations involved in the pickling of a pair of narrow strip lengths passing through the apparatus side by side, it will be assumed initially that a pair of coils of narrow strip are disposed in the uncoiler and are being fed therefrom to the pit 18 through the shear il, stitcher l6 and pinch rolls ll. It is to be noted that in pickling narrow strip in double strand, both strip lengths should be of the same gauge and of approximately the same length. On unwinding of the coils, the trailing end of the shorter length will appear first. As soon as it appears, the appropriate bottom roll of the pinch rolls I! is actuated and the top roll driven to position the end for shearing, and the appropriate one of the stitcher feet 43 is actuated. Thereupon the bottom roll is released. During the positioning of the trailing end of the shorter coil, the unwinding of the longer coil is completed, and as soon as its trailing end appears, the other bottom roll of the pinch rolls ii is actuated and the top roll thereof driven to position its end for shearing. A single operation of the shear I4 thus crops the ends of both coils. The bottom rolls 53 of the pinch rolls H are then actuated and the top roll driven to advance the two ends simultaneously to the stitcher "5.

As soon as the initial coils have been placed on the uncoiler mandrel, the tilting coil support I0 is operated to deliver a succeeding coil to the support 42 on the car 4| in its dotted line position. The tilting support II] is again actuated to place a second coil on the support 4?. in proper side by side relation therewith. When the two preceding coils have been fully unwound, the car M is moved to its solid line position and the support 42 is operated to position the coils to receive the mandrel 39 which is axially retractable. The side tilting device, the car ll and the uncoiler itself are provided with suitable side guides, if necessary, to prevent narrow coils from tipping over. The ends of the new coils are then threaded through the bending and pinch rolls of the uncoiler and simultaneously advanced to the shear M for a cropping out. After the shearing, the pinch rolls 3'! are further operated to enter the ends of the new coils into the stitcher. The feet 43 are then operated to clamp the leading ends of the new coils separately in proper relation to the trailing ends of the preceding coils for stitching whereupon operation of the stitcher joins the succeeding lengths together. After stitching, the two strip lengths are fed into the pit by the pinch rolls 31, both the bottom rolls of the pinch rolls I! being retracted and the top roll stationary.

In order to keep the ends of coils being unwound simultaneously, as close together as possible, the longer of the two entering coils should be attached to the shorter of the two preceding coils.

It goes without saying that the side and center guides in the pit 3 are positioned as shown in Fig. 8 for handling strip in multiple strand. The

center guide keeps the two strands properly separated, and prevents toppling over thereof even though they pile up to a considerable height.

. The pinch rolls W are driven continuously to pull both strands from the pit 8 at the same rate. The pinch rolls 8% are controlled independently of the apparatus delivering strip to the pit it. It is the responsibility of the operator controlling the uncoiler to see that there is always plenty of strip in the pit I to permit continuous operation of the pinch rolls l9 during the interval in which the in-put of strip to the pit must be stopped to permit Shearing and attachment of succeeding coils. If the strip piles up to excess in the pit l8, the uncoiler may be slowed down until the excess is pulled out.

In pickling strip in' multiple strand, one strand is pulled through the tanks by the pinch rolls 63 and the other by the pinch rolls 84. The motor driving each pair of pinch rolls is controlled by the dancer roll bearing on the strip pulled by that pair of pinch rolls so that the proper amount of slack will be maintained in the several tanks.

The side and center guides in the pit 25 are disposed as shown in Fig. 8 when pickling narrow strip in multiple strand. The two lengths of strip running side by side are pulled out of the pit 25 by the pinch rolls 92 of the recoiler 28, the bottom rolls of the pinch rolls 30 being released and the top roll stopped. The strip passes through the unfolding and leveling rolls 2?, through the shear 29, over the conveyor 28a and through the oiler 28 before entering the recoiler. When a stitchecljoint connecting successive coils appears, the recoiler is stopped with the joint on the entering side of the shear 29. The bottom pinch roll 53 of the pinch rolls 3 on the same side as the joint is actuated, and the shear is operated to cut the length in which the joint appears without affecting the other length. The pinch rolls 30 are then driven to feed the joint through the shear, whereupon a second shearing cuts oiT the joint. The recoiler is then operated to wind up the loose end of the strip length ahead of the joint, simultaneously pulling through the pinch rolls 30 a short portion of the other length. The complete coil is then kicked ofi and the top roll of the pinch rolls 36 is driven to advance the end of the length from which the joint was last severed. When this end enters the recoiler, the bottom roll of the pinch rolls which was actuated is released and both strands are again pulled out of the pit 25 by the recoiler pinch rolls until a joint appears in the other strand.

It will be apparent that the invention is characterized by numerous advantages over methods and apparatus employed'heretofore for pickling strip, In the first place, a single line of equipment is provided which is capable of pickling wide strip in single strand or narrow strip in multiple strand. In the second place, most of the apparatus is of standard construction or substantially so. Certain elements, however, such as the stitcher pinch rolls, the pull-out pinch rolls at the exit end of the pickle tanks, and the cut-out shear pinch rolls, are of novel construction to facilitate the manipulation of each of a pair of side by side strands independently. Since only a relatively few of the elements are of special design, the cost of the apparatus is little, if any, more than that of a standard pickling line. The stitcher pinch rolls and the shear cutout pinch rolls have a particular advantage in that since they do not engage the strip except when stitching or cutting out a stitched joint, it

is not necessary that the pinch rolls be synchronized with the uncoiler, in the case of the stitcher pinch rolls, or with the recoiler, in the case of the cut-out shear pinch rolls. There is, furthermore, no danger of scratching or otherwise marring the strip by lack of such synchromsm.

The entry and exit pinch rolls l9 and 24 associated with the pickle tanks are controlled entirely separately from all the other apparatus and are normally kept rimning at all times, thus permitting uniform pickling at high speeds.

As previously indicated, the invention makes it possible to pickle strip efiiciently whether in wide or narrow widths and avoids the cost of a second pickling line for narrow strip which has been necessary heretofore. Since the strip moves continuously through the pickling tanks, whether in single strand or double, a highly uniform pickling is obtained.

Although I have illustrated and described but a preferred form and practice of the invention, it will be understood that changes in the apparatus and procedure disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of handling strip, the steps including feeding two lengths of strip side by side into one end of a looping pit, stopping the length the trailing end of which arrives first adjacent the pit, continuing to feed the other length into the pit until its trailing end arrives thereadjacent, and continuously withdrawing both lengths from the other end of the pit at the same speed.

2. In a. method of pickling strip, the steps including feeding a pair of strip lengths side by side into a series of pickle tanks at the same speed, drawing said lengths through the tanks independently, and separately controlling the rate at which each strip length is drawn through, to maintain a predetermined loop in said tanks.

3. In a method of pickling continuous strip lengths composed of a succession of separate coils joined together, the steps including draw-- ing through pickle tanks a pair of lengths disposed in side by side relation, delivering said lengths at substantially the same rate into a looping pit, in the same relation, withdrawing the lengths from the pit in side by side relation, stopping both the lengths as joints between successive coils appear, cutting out the joints in each length, and then recoiling the lengths.

4; In a method of uncoiling strip, the steps including simultaneously pulling strip from two coils disposed side by side, gripping the trailing end of the first coil to be fully unwound and arresting it while completing the uncoiling of the other coil, then gripping the trailing end of the other coil while shearing said ends and attaching-thereto respectively the leading ends of succeeding coils, freeing said first-mentioned ends and then uncoiling said succeeding coils.

5. In a method of recoiling continuous strip lengths accumulated side by side in a looping pit after pickling, each length being composed of a succession of coils joined together, the steps including pulling both lengths from the pit and recoiling them at a point spaced therefrom, stopping the coiling on the emergence from the pit of a joint between lengths, when said joint is between the pit and said point, gripping the length in which the joint appeared, at a point between the joint and the pit, cutting out the joint, feeding the length toward said coiling point, recommencing the coiling, and releasing said length-after starting another coil.

6. In a method of handling strip, the steps including uncoiling two lengths of strip in such closely spaced side-by-side relation as to permit ready observation of both lengths by a single operator, simultaneously cropping their leading ends at a cropping station by a single instrumentality and securing them to the trailing ends of a pair of preceding lengths, feeding both lengths in the same direction into a common looping pit and continuing them in said closely spaced side-by-side relation until one length is completely uncoiled, arresting the uncoiled length while continuing to uncoil the other length, and when said other length has been completely uncoiled, simultaneously cropping the trailing ends of both lengths at said station by said single instrumentality.

DONALD A. MoARTI-IUR.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,267,05 6. December 25, 19Lcl.

DONALD A HCARTHUR- It is hereby certified-that error appears in .the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, eec- 0nd column, line 7, for"length 69'' read ---link 69: line 62, strike out "link 69 pivoted to a bracket 70 secured to the"; and that the said. Letters Patent should be read.with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of February, A. n. 19b,2.

Henry Van A'rsdele, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

